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US 2021/0239373 A1Published application
Cooling system with vertical alignment
AssigneeHeatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
InventorsNicole Z. Martin, Shitong Zha
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooling system uses P-traps to address the oil return issues that result from a vertical separation between the compressor and the high side heat exchanger. Generally, the vertical piping that carries the refrigerant from the compressor to the high side heat exchanger includes P-traps installed at various heights to capture oil in the refrigerant and to prevent that oil from flowing back to the compressor. T-connections are coupled to the P-traps to allow the oil to drain out of the P-traps. The oil may then be collected and returned to the compressor.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a high side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a refrigerant;
- a flash tank configured to store the refrigerant;
- a first low side heat exchanger configured to use the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the first low side heat exchanger;
- a second low side heat exchanger configured to use the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the second low side heat exchanger;
- a first compressor configured to compress refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger;
- a second compressor configured to compress refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger and the first compressor, the high side heat exchanger positioned vertically above the second compressor;
- piping configured to direct refrigerant from the second compressor to the high side heat exchanger, the piping comprising:
- a first P-trap positioned vertically above the second compressor and vertically below the high side heat exchanger;
- and
- a second P-trap positioned vertically above the first P-trap and vertically below the high side heat exchanger;
- a receiver;
- a first valve configured to control a flow of refrigerant and oil from the first P-trap to the receiver;
- and
- a second valve configured to control a flow of refrigerant and oil from the second P-trap to the receiver.
11 more elements
A method comprising:
- removing, by a high side heat exchanger, heat from a refrigerant;
- storing, by a flash tank, the refrigerant;
- using, by a first low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the first low side heat exchanger;
- using, by a second low side heat exchanger, the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the second low side heat exchanger;
- compressing, by a first compressor, refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger;
- compressing, by a second compressor, refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger and the first compressor, the high side heat exchanger positioned vertically above the second compressor;
- directing, by piping, refrigerant from the second compressor to the high side heat exchanger, the piping comprising:
- a first P-trap positioned vertically above the second compressor and vertically below the high side heat exchanger;
- and
- a second P-trap positioned vertically above the first P-trap and vertically below the high side heat exchanger;
- controlling, by a first valve, a flow of refrigerant and oil from the first P-trap to a receiver;
- and
- controlling, by a second valve, a flow of refrigerant and oil from the second P-trap to the receiver.
10 more elements
A system comprising:
- a low side heat exchanger configured to use a refrigerant to cool a space proximate the low side heat exchanger;
- a compressor configured to compress refrigerant from the low side heat exchanger;
- a high side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the refrigerant from the compressor, the high side heat exchanger positioned vertically above the compressor;
- piping configured to direct refrigerant from the compressor to the high side heat exchanger, the piping comprising:
- a first P-trap positioned vertically above the compressor and vertically below the high side heat exchanger;
- and
- a second P-trap positioned vertically above the first P-trap and vertically below the high side heat exchanger;
- a receiver;
- a first valve configured to control a flow of refrigerant and oil from the first P-trap to the receiver;
- and
- a second valve configured to control a flow of refrigerant and oil from the second P-trap to the receiver.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.